Folding coop.



PATENTED'MAY so, 1905.

R. YOAKUM.

FOLDING COOP.

APPLICATION FIHLED 0017.4. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, INVENTOR I flaw/2t Mum ATTORNEYS No. 791,234. I P-ATENTED MAY 1905.

R. YOAKYUM.

FOLDING COOP. v

IAPPLIOAYTION FILED 0014. 1 04.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

' 1 wmv 885$:

ATTORNEYS UNIT D STATES Patented May 30, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

FOLDING COOP- SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 791,234, dated May 30,1905. Application filed October 4, 1904. Serial No. 227,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT YoAKUM, a citizen of the United States, and a' resident of tures of construction and combination of parts,

' plete, taken substantially on the line 6 6 in tom and the coop-body maybe square in con-' Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Folding Coop, of which the following is a full, I clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to folding coops used for'the transportation of poultry, such as live foWls, from one point to another by boat or rail. and has for its object to provide novel details of construction for a folding coop which render it very substantial either when erected for service or when folded into a compact package and enable the production of the coop at a moderate cost.

The invention consists in certain novel feawhich are hereinafter described, and indicated in the claims. Reference is to be had to the accompanying for each end wall drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved coop erected for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the coop folded, taken substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an end View of the coop folded seen in the direction of the arrow as in Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the coop-body erected, the top wall being removed. Fig; 5 is an enlarged detail view in part of the body of the coop, showing a side and end wall erected and a securing device for holding said walls together at a corner; and Fig.6 is a transverse sectional view of the erected coop com- Fig. 1.

The bottom 10 of the coop-body is rectangular edgewise and is shown having greater lengththan width; but, if preferred, the bottour. The bottom 10, is usually formed of strong boards that are held joined together edgewise by the batten-strips 10, which extend lengthwise on the under side of the bottom boards near opposite edges and are thereto secured by any preferred means. Two similar end walls and two duplicate side walls are provided, all being constructed in a like manner, with the exception that the end walls are of less area than the side walls.

The end walls of the body consist of a pair of rectangular wooden frames 11, that receive between them a screen-wire-cloth filling-piece 12, said border-frames being secured together in a durable manner. thus producing light strong walls that are mainly reticular. The end walls for the coop-body are respectively hinged upon the bottom 10, at each end thereof, and. as shown in Fig. 3, the hinge-joint is formed, preferably, of two pairs of hinge-leaves a a, one leaf of each pair being afiixed upon the lower transverse rails of the border-frames 11, near opposite ends of said rails, so that the scrolls on the ends of said hinge-leaves project outward. The other leaf of each pair of leaves a is secured on the bottom 10, adjacent to the one ,on the end-wall frame to which it is complementary, and the scrolls or tubulations on all hinge-leaves a for an end wall are alined with each other. Apintle-rod a, formed of wire, is inserted through each set of alined scrolls on the hinge-leavesc and is secured in place by upsetting its ends, which completes the hinged connection for each end wall of the coop-body with the bottom wall 10.

It will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 that an abut- Inent-strip b is secured on the upper surface of the bottom 10, near the transverse center thereof and below the lower edge of each end wall-frame 11, these abutment-strips affording seats for said lower edges when the end walls are rocked upward into parallel vertical planes,'and, as shown in Fig. 2, the end walls of the body may be folded so as to lie flat upon the bottom if turned inwardly or toward each other.

Above the batten-strips 10, along and near each of the side edges of the bottom 10, aset of short posts 13 are erected on said bottom piece having an equal height that is slightly greater than the thickness of the end walls or the height of the upper surfaces of these walls when they are folded upon the bottom piece 10.

The side walls of the coop-body are constructed similarly to the end walls therefor, each side wall consisting of two wooden borderframes 14, between which is held a screencloth filling-piece 15, clamped near its rectangular margin between said border-frames, that are secured together by suitable means, such asscrews or clenched nails driven therethrough at different points, and the ends of the frames may be covered by batten-strips, such as 14;. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 5.)

Upon each post 13 one leaf 0 of a hinge is secured, as is indicated, on two opposite posts in Fig. 3, a mating leaf being secured on the lower edge of the border-frame for a respective side wall adjacent to each hinge-leaf on a post. The scrolled ends on each hinge-leaf 0 for each side Wall of the coop are alined, and in said alined scrolls for each hinged connection a pintle-rod c is inserted and secured at its ends, which completes the jointed attachment for each side wall upon a respective set of posts 13. It will be seen that the scrolls and pintle-rods for the hinged connections being located at the inner lower corners of the side walls of the coop said side walls are adapted to be folded inwardly and upon the end walls when the latter are disposed flat upon the bottom wall 10, as is shown in Fig. 3. a

The height of the end walls and side walls is so relatively proportioned that their upper edges will be level when said walls are upright and the side walls have such increased length as adapts them to lap upon the ends of the end walls when all the walls are erected.

A preferred means for securing the side walls of the coop-body lapped at their ends upon the ends of the end wall-frames 11 is clearly shown forone side and end wall in Fig. 5, these similar means each comprising a strap-hinge having one strap member, (1, secured upon the inner side of the top rail of one frame l i that is, a portion of the side wall mentionedthe joint d of the hinge being disposed at the corner where the side and end wallshave contact, so that the other strap member, (1 may be folded flat against the top rail of the inner frame 11 of the end wall that is to be secured to the side wall. The strap member d is slotted longitudinally for the reception of two similar staples e, which are secured in the frame-bar 11, and these staples receive in their projecting looped portions the two similar hook-noses g, that are formed on the wire latch-bar g, which at one end is pivthe end wall when the hook members or noses g are latched into the staples e.

A marginally-rectangular cover or top wall is provided for closure of the coop-body. this cover being in the form of two fiat quadrangular frames 16, each having a suitable number of cross-bars 16, that are secured at their ends upon the side bars of said frames. Between the wooden frames 16 a piece of wire woven fabric 16 is held clamped by securing said frames together, the reticulated fabric having such area as adapts it to be held near its edges between said frames near their edges.

The cover just described is of such a size as will permit its side and end edges to conform, respectively, with the outer sides of the side and end walls of the coop-body.

Upon the outer surfaces of the side walls, near their upper edges, a keeper-strip 71 is secured upon each one, said strips, that are preferably of sheet metal, each having a return bent hook it formed along its upper edge portion, these hooks turning outward and downward, as is best shown in Fig. 6, and preferably the keeper strips are equal in length to that of the side-wall frames 14, whereon they are secured. On the side edges of the cover-frames 16 similar hook-plates i are secured, each plate having a hook i formed on its lower edge, these hooks turning inward and upward. The hook-plates 1' have equal length and extend from end to end of the cover-frames 16, their hook formations being so fashioned as to adapt the hooks i to have a sliding engagement with the books h, respectively, when the hooks 7; are presented at like ends to ends of the hooks h and the cover is slid endwise upon the upright walls of the coop-body, this disposal of the top wall or cover appearing in Figs. 1 and 6.

A preferred means for retaining the cover in proper position on the side walls of the body is clearly shown in Fig. 1 and consists of a latch-bolt m, having a longitudinal slot in it, which receives a headed pin m, that is fixed upon or in the edge portion of the cover, which is first engaged with the upper surface of the body-walls. The latch-bolt 'm is of such a length that when it is slid downward as far as the pin-and-slot connection will permit the lower end will lap over the upper edge of the adjacent end-wall frame 11. An elongated keeper loop or staple m is secured upon the upper rail of the outer end-wall frame 11, and the lower portion of the latch-bolt may be passed down through the staple, which will prevent the lid or cover from slidably moving until the latch-bolt is fully raised above the top I edge of the end-wall frame 11. In the top or cover for the coop-body ahand-hole or opening is provided, th1s hole being cut in the woven material 16 and framed on the side edges oted upon the top frame-bar 11, so that the l by two of the parallel cross-bars 16" and at side wall of the coop will be held secured upon 1 the ends by the frame-bars 16.

In the recsaid receptacles, and they serve to prevent tangular frame that protects the similarlyshaped edge of the opening in the wire woven material 16 a door 16 is held to rock and open a hand-hole or passage through the cover of the coop or close the same, this door being formed of woven wire material that is strengthened at the edges by a rectangular frame that fits loosely in the described surrounding frame and is therein pivoted by the transverse pintle-rod 16 he door may be rocked upward by pressing upon the transverse edge that is nearest to Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1.. A foldable coop embodying a fiat bottom, two end walls hinged on the bottom near its the erect walls of the coop.

2-. A foldable coop, embodyinga flat bottom, two end walls hinged on the bottom near its ends so as to fold inward, two side walls hinged on posts of an equal height so as to fold inward upon the end walls, a rectangularlyedged cover, and means for securing the side and end walls erect, said means comprisinga strap-hinge having one leaf thereof secured upon the inner side of a side wall near one side edgeand upper edge thereof, the other leaf of in Fig. 6. preferred meansfor retaining the coop in folded condition is shown applied for such a purpose in Fig. 2, consisting of two stout hook-bars 19, which are loosely secured by their normally upper ends upon the end crossbars of the cover-frame 16 near the centers of said cross-bars, these hooks. each having a hookedengagement with a staple 9, that is projected up from the bottom wall 10 at suitable points below the pendent hooks. It will be seen that when the end walls and side walls of the coop are folded, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the cover is seated upon the folded side walls the hooked connection of the lower end of the hooks p with the staples 12 will produce a very compact package for convenient handling and transportation, and as these packages may be placed upon each other without any considerable space between them the transfer of the knocked-down coops in a car or boat may be effected at a moderate cost. The peculiar construction of the cover for the coop, which protects the wire-cloth between two border frames and cross-bars of said frames affords a very light strongcover and prevents injury to the reticulated material 15, that might occur if not so protected, the top border-frame receiving the wear and tear incidental to rough handling and the piling of the coops one on the other during transit. In the coop when used for temporarily housing live fowls the means for supplying them with food and water is preferably in the form of sheet metal receptacles, which may be hung on the side wall or end Wall of the coop, as shown at 17 in Figs. 1, 4, and 6, and these may be filled through the door-opening in the cover of the coop. Over each of the receptacles 17 for food and water a canopy 18 of any suitable material projects from the side wall of the coop at a proper distance above engages the bow end of the staple that projects through the slot, whereby the side and end wall thus connected are held erect.

3. Afoldable coop embodyingaflat bottom, two end walls hinged on the bottom near its ends so as to fold inward, two side walls hinged on posts of an equal height so as to fold inward upon the end walls, a rectangular-edged cover composed of two rectangular frames and reticulated material secured between said frames, hook-plates on the-top edges of the side walls, mating hook -plates on the side edges of the cover-frames and having sliding engagement with the hook-plates on the side walls, a vertically-adjustable latch-bar on one end of the cover-frame, a keeper-loop on the corresponding end wall into which the latchbar slides and holds the cover from endwise movement. 1

4. In a folding coop of the character described, the means for holding the cover on the erected side walls and end walls, comprising two elongated hook-plates secured near the upper edges of the outer sides of the side walls, and two depending hook-plates on the corresponding side edges of the cover, these plates in pairs being adapted to interlock together when the cover is slid endwise on the erectedwalls of the coop.

5. In a folding coop ofthe character described, the means for holding the cover on the erected side walls and end walls, comprising 'two elongated hook-plates secured near the upper edges of the outer sides of the side walls, two depending hook-plates on the corresponding side edges of the cover, these dirt from falling into the food and drink holders when a number of the coops with poultry in them are piled in tiers within a car or in the hold of a vessel for transportation, these canopies being readily removed and laid flat within the coops when the latter are in folded condition.

IIO

& 791,234

plates in pairs being adapted when slid toto this specification in the presence of two sub- (ggether endwise toj1 hold the cover frolraiupwlagd l scribing witnesses.

isplacement, an a latch-p ate he to s i e r r vertically 0n the cover at one end thereof, said ROBERl 1 OAKUM' 5 plate engaging a staple on the end wall be- Witnesses:

low it. PERCY ALLEN, In testimony whereof lhave signed my name G. I. VVAPLEs. 

